Ecstasy use increasing in Turkey

The report includes studies conducted in bars in Adana, Ankara, Diyarbakir, Istanbul and Izmir and employees, bodyguards, taxi drivers, a group of gay men and social services officials were interviewed.

According to the studies, drugs used in Turkish bars include hashish, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and Ropypnol, also known as the rape drug, with ecstasy being the most commonly used one.

Ecstasy is mostly used by those aged between 16 and 25. Among the reasons cited for its use were, "to feel happy, to dance for hours, to increase sexual performance, to rid oneself of shyness, to lose weight."

According to those interviewed, the drug has become very popular in the past 4 to 5 years, and it is readily available. Most of those who use it don’t know about its side-effects.

Experts say that ecstasy may cause stress, aggressiveness or death. For those who use it for a long time, irreversible damage in nerve and muscle cells, depression and high blood pressure can also occur, say experts.